Once Upon A Midnight Moon
by The-Silent-Muse
Summary: ."Tenjō Tenge Yuiga Dokuson," Naruto's words were barely a whisper in the biting winds, his Akatsuki cloak flapping wildly about him. "I alone am supreme on Heaven and Earth."
1. Prologue: Second Chances

**Once Upon A Midnight Moon – A Naruto Fan Fiction**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all its related materials. I do own this plot and any OC created in the future. I do not generate any revenue from this work of literature, it is written for the sole purpose of entertainment.

AN: Here's the all new version. Enjoy.

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_**Prelude: Second Chances**_

"You are late." The cold harsh voice of the leader sounded above the chaos of battle. A single cloaked figure stood amidst the raging conflagrations that flared up around him, seeking to consume an untouchable prey. The figure's face was hidden even from the blinding flames, and all that was visible from the depth of shadows were a pair of eyes as crimsons as the blood staining his unsheathed blade. It was the eyes of a Mangekyo wielder – a Sharingan user whose mastery of the doujutsu has reached a level attainable only in legends and fables.

Only four wielders has ever managed so incredible a feat in recent history – the first was Itachi Uchiha, once thought of as the greatest prodigy the ancient clan produced in the last few centuries, shortly before he turned upon his own family and slaughtered them all, leaving but a single sibling behind. The second was friend to an Uchiha, who managed to receive a Sharingan as the result of a surgical transplant. The fourth held the secret of the Sharingans for as long as he could remember. The last, however, was not even an Uchiha to begin with, and had acquired the bloodline limit in a manner most foul.

His name was Uzumaki Naruto, once the pariah of the village hidden among tree leaves, and now the single most feared entity in his world. It seemed almost funny, that the boy who had once been an outcast, a so called 'dead-last', would rise above the prejudice and hatred of those around him, and become a being of unparalleled abilities.

"Forgive my tardiness, Naruto-sama. I was unfortunately detained." A second figure arrived behind the now grown pariah, bowing low in a sigh of respect. He wore similar garbs to the blond youth, though his face was not hidden as the formers had been. Kabuto Yakushi swallowed nervously as he felt his master close in, every inch of his skin tingling as the awesome presence of the man washed over him.

He had forgotten how exalted an aura Naruto had cloaked himself with. It was enough to send a weaker man to his knees. The medic turned spy had never felt such stately magnificence in any other shinobi – not Orochimaru, not his lap dog Uchiha Sasuke, and not even in the Kages of the hidden villages. It was this, the traitor supposed, that had missing-nins flock under the blue eyed demon's command; it was this, that allowed Naruto to take the reign of legions.

It was this that allowed the once hated and detested child to assume the role of the leader of the organization Akatsuki, an organization slowly taking over the entire world. For Uzumaki Naruto was a ruler born to the mandate of Heavens, and no forces of earthly origin could bulk him of that fate. Kabuto was one of the few to discern this, one of the few outlaws who read past the blind fervor Naruto inspired. And it was because of this insight; the former servant of the Otokage chooses to align himself utterly to the flaxen haired ninja's cause.

"How goes your excursion?" The voice was calm, betraying no hidden agenda. Naruto was an actor born, and not even one as perceptive as the medic could discover his true inclination, unless he willed it thusly. It was easier to keep his men in place, when they followed a leader whose motivations are beyond their comprehension. Besides, Naruto simply found it easier than to explain the same simple strategy over and over again. "I trust you are fruitful in your venture."

"Hai." Kabuto nodded. "Orochimaru has grown suspicious of me as of late, but not enough to exempt me from the meeting. He has not yet made any firm plan in regards to our legions, though the desperation seemed plain to even the most blinded fools."

"I see." The Uzumaki turned to face in another direction, where one of the Nine – shinobi generals who acted under Naruto's direct command – massacred another squad of Jonins who refused to submit themselves before the Fire Cloud's will. A pity, they seemed rather talented too. "And what of my dear teammate?"

It was common knowledge that of all the people Naruto had come to despise in his past, only a single person had been left alive. A man who went by the name of Sasuke Uchiha, brother to the infamous Itachi Uchiha, the author of the Uchiha Massacre. Once, long before Sasuke's defection and Naruto's subsequent self-imposed exile, the two of them had been… if not friends, then certainly good acquaintances. After all, there were much in common between the two – both orphans, and both isolated as a result of their legacy.

Although one of them was raised upon a pedestal and fed with golden spoons, and the other left to rot, condemned to hell before he even understood the concept of sin.

And it was because of this that Naruto hated Sasuke with a passion. Not because of his birth – that was something the raven haired avenger could not help, just as Naruto himself could not change his own lineage. It was the fact that despite how good Sasuke had it, especially compared to his own deplorable situation, the bastard had the gull of throwing it all away, just to chase after some fictitious dream he would never complete in a thousand millenniums – Particularly now that the blond lead Itachi, and could appreciate the deserter's talent better than anyone but Itachi himself.

It was a slap to his face, that the trice damnable Uchiha would cast aside everything Naruto dreamt of, even calling them useless burdens that he had been glad to be rid of. It was from that day the seed of dark abhorrence fully flowered, and the bond between brothers shattered beyond a hope of re-forge.

It was only on that day the wish to recapture Sasuke turned to an obsession – not because, as Sakura had wrongly surmised, that he wanted to redeem what little light was left in his former best friend; no, he wanted the arrogant boy back in his life for a very simple reason – so he could tear the haughty Uchiha limb from limb, before plucking out those precious eyeballs of his.

The dream stayed with him, even after he had assumed the mantle of the leader of an army of missing-nins, though with a single key difference. Now, he actually had the means and the lack of resistance to carry out his abominable desire. And when he does, he planned to savor every moment.

"Sasuke-kun is… disturbed." Kabuto sought of an adjective that would properly describe the traitor's current mental state. He found the task rather difficult, much to his chagrin. "He has had very little sleep as of late, and his obsession with his goal has turned to near fanaticism. In my personal opinion, Naruto-sama, the child would crack under the strain any day now."

In the dark shadows, Naruto allowed himself a satisfied grin. So, the precious Uchiha prodigy was finally going over the deep end, was he? How very fortuitous of him. Perhaps this was even better than his original master plan, in a way. After all, what greater pleasure could he derive from Sasuke's misfortune, than to watch the genius destroy himself by the non-existent ghost of his past?

Uzumaki Naruto knew perfectly who was to be blame for Sasuke's condition, of course. Who else but the man that left his ex-friend mentally scarred beyond repair, the man who had once been the pride of the entire Uchiha clan – Itachi? In a time when Akatsuki has taken war to the open, the infamy of the Akatsuki Nine had evolved from the pages in some rarely shared bingo book, to house hold names that were the rough equivalent of the boogie man. And Itachi, as one of Naruto's foremost vanguards, had been one of the more whispered names, even earning himself the title of 'the Raven' – a bird long believed to be an omen of death.

For the survivor of the massacre, to hear the man he so despised walking in the open, to witness the power his nemesis wielded, and to possess the knowledge of the distance still between the two of them, was like a slow acting poison, slowly destroying him from the inside out.

As for the man who had orchestrated the event, well, the blond found it terribly amusing, to say the least.

"Naruto-sama, there is one more thing." Kabuto all but whispered, afraid to disturb his lord from his reveries. Crimson eyes reverted back to blue, Naruto turned to face his servant. Though Kabuto could not see his master's face, he knew his own life was not in any immediate danger. "It would seem both Suna and Konoha are meeting in secret – no doubt in regards to the Akatsuki Nine, as well as their leader. I am not privy to the specifics, but…"

"So… My old friends are finally on the move, eh?" Naruto mused as he begin to walk, accompanied by Kabuto. The silver haired shinobi couldn't help but shiver as he took in the carnage all around him. Over a hundred Jonin, all of them dispatched by a single entity. But more frighten still was the fact that each of them had been killed off in the same manner – a thin, nearly invisible wound over the trachea. These men died before they had chance to even retaliate.

It reminded the glass wearing healer just how power his lord was. Not even Itachi, with the use of his Sharingan, could have emerged from such odds completely unscathed, and Naruto had but employed a fraction of his strength.

"Well…" Again came the chilling chuckle as the fires parted as though with a will of its own. Master and servant stepped through the flames, which rushed back into place once more, a funeral pyre that claimed the bodies of the fallen. "I think it may be time to have a little reunion at last…"

Since the day he first took leadership, Naruto's identity has remained secret from all but the Nine, and Kabuto. No one, not even his own men, knew who it was that lead them into battle, who it was that controlled the mightiest army in the elemental countries. There have been theories, speculations at best, each one more far fetched than the last. But Naruto supposed that as friends… former friends and back stabbers, granted, the few peoples of Konoha did deserve to know who it was that would crush their feeble resistance like an insect.

**XXXXXX**

"My… the Hokage and her entourage… I am honored." Naruto drawled as he stepped into the clearing, accompanied by both Itachi and Kisame. The two Akatsuki members stayed a little ways behind the leader, who approached the gathered group of Konohan defenders seemingly without caution. The golden haired youth stopped several steps away, where he surveyed the contingent calmly with his blood red Sharingan.

"Spare me the theatrics…" Tsunade fought back the urge to deck the man and break all the bones in his body. She was not a match for the leader of Akatsuki, an organization whose top members are at least Kage leveled ninja, to say nothing of the man who could command such host. Brashness has no place here.

"So to what do I owe this lovely gathering?" Almost rhetorically, Naruto posed the question at the welcoming committee, none of whom seemed particularly friendly to the infamous warrior. "Surely a Kage did not this much protection, I am hurt you think so little of me that I might harm a fellow delegate."

It was not Tsunade, but Neji who spoke. The Konoha twelve – excuse me, I mean, Ten – had all accompanied the Hokage, along with several clan head, several elite Jonin, the Suna delegates, and the Toad Hermit. One simply does not take what is probably the most powerful man in the world lightly, especially in a confrontation that may well end up in blood shed.

When the white eyed prodigy spoke, it was with utter disdain. Naruto noted that in his absence, Neji seemed more confident, to say nothing of his growing strength. A strength that would do well not directed against himself, or it would most certainly be forfeit. The former member of the Konoha Twelve prayed the stoic Hyuuga would not be so foolish as to squander his talent so pointlessly.

"Stop dancing around the subject." The young man fairly growled at the insulting words. He seemed livid at such a suggestion, the veins around his eyes all the more pronounced as he fixed Naruto with a trademarked death stare. Unlike the times he used such method to discourage Lee from one of the thick brow's harebrained schemes, this time, Neji had laced it with full killer intent, which all but flew over Naruto. "Just what do you want with us?"

My god, Naruto shook his head in disbelief. He had no idea Konoha could be this idiotic, or this arrogant, for that matter. Did they really believe that they are in a position to demand anything of him? Surely they must have realized that the only reason they were not crushed underfoot was by his good grace alone? Of course, as always, he seemed to have overestimated the humility and clairvoyance of Konohagakure no sato.

"What I wish of you is simple, and it's practically effortless on your part." Naruto loved to draw out the suspense. "All you must do, my dearest Hokage, is to simply swear an oath of loyalty to me, and submit this village under my jurisdiction. And in exchange, I let your citizens live. Of course, the same extends to the Kazekage as well."

There was an immediate protest and outburst, though none came as louder as a certain thick browed fighter, who fairly screamed above the din. "EVIL DOER! YOU SHALL NOT TAINT THE YOUTHFUL FLAMES OF KONOHA WITH YOUR UNYOUTHFUL WAYS! FEEL THE WRATH OF KONOHA'S GREEN BEAST!"

Before anyone could even react, Rock Lee of the Leaves appeared next to the still unresponsive leader, and delivered a bone crushing flying kick to the man's head. Judging by his appearance, it would be safe to say he had removed the immense weight he always wore, rendering his attack more devastating by far. At the age of twenty eight, Rock Lee is the best martial art master in the village. Period. His blows are of such force that even the Hokage herself, known for her monstrous strength, had some trouble blocking.

Even fewer battlers could react to his speed after the training weight was cast off.

Among them included an Uzumaki Naruto. Faster even than Lee, Naruto casually reached up with a single hand, and caught Lee's leg as though blocking a child's feeble attempt. The blue eyed commander didn't move even a muscle as he absorbed the full blunt of the attack. "This is the best you can do? Pathetic." He muttered scornfully.

Then, with a cruel smile, the former Konoha-nin. tightened his grip. There was a sickening crack as Lee fell to the ground, screaming in agony and clutch his injured leg, where Naruto had broken his bone. With a cry of dismay, an older version of Lee appeared next to the incapacitated combatant, and helped him back to the ranks, which seemed far more subdued.

They had severely underestimated the strength of their enemies, if Lee – one of their strongest – could be defeated with such ease. Before they could formulate another plan, Naruto spoke again. "I am disappointed, if that is how the village of Hidden Leaf greets an old friend. I assume something like that would not occur again."

"Old friend?" Sakura piped up in surprise, one of the few present to pick up the soft passage. "What are you talking about?"

"Aw, did Sakura-chan forget about poor little me?" Naruto mocked in a childish voice, satisfied to see nearly everyone flinch at the sound. It was not because they feared the speaker, but rather that voice had renewed the scars they tried so hard to heal. It was a voice they knew all too well, the voice of a ghost.

Incidentally, Haruno Sakura looked just as pale as she stumbled back, caught by an equally white Hinata. Her lips quivered as though to speak, but no words would come to her, and only managed a chocking sob as she pointed a shaking finger at the still unknown figure. "No… stop it! STOP IT! He's dead… Stop defiling his memories!"

Naruto made something akin to a derisive snort. With a soft whisper, he dismissed the permanent shadow illusion over his features, and gazed back at the assembled and horrified crowd with the same shade of startling blue they had all grown so used to. He looked older – as to be expected given the time passed – and handsomer, but he was still far too familiar to the little boy that once proclaimed his dream of being a Hokage.

The whiskered cheeks, the foxy, confident grin, and the mop of sun kissed hair – everything just screamed Uzumaki. And yet… how could it be? How could it be that Naruto is standing before them, leading their very enemies, when the boy died over a decade ago?

"Now isn't this amusing?" Naruto asked, his grin still plastered to his face, though the good humored smile did not reach his eyes. "What, finally figured I was worthy of a little respect, Haruno? So do tell me this – and this goes for all of you, where is the god damned respect ten years ago?"

"I…" It was all Sakura could manage. Her mind was still reeling from the fact Naruto was still _alive_. In some recess of her mind, she always believed the bright and cheery boy she had known would one day return, and then things would settle back to the way they always have been. Maybe not with Sasuke, but Sakura had found herself not caring anymore. Sasuke had been a childhood crush, a romantic fantasy that would end in nothing but tragedy. As an adult, the pink haired medic-in-training recognized this.

The boy did return, stronger than ever. But he returned not as a hero, not even as an ally. Uzumaki Naruto has come back as Konoha's number one enemy, and their eventual conqueror.

It was here that the ever sensible Nara Shikamaru decided to intervene on Sakura's behalf. Hoping to convert Naruto from his temporary bout of madness with logic and reason. The ANBU – having only recently been promoted due to how 'troublesome' the job was – could not have picked a worse time to comment. "Be reasonable, Naruto. You would have lost the nomination no matter what. The council was prejudiced against you from the beginning, and since they control the majority's vote, even with the support of the Tsunade-sama you would have not been elected as the Hokage heir-apparent."

"Oh I know." Naruto nodded seriously, as though at last seeing the irrationalities behind his seemingly childish and vengeful actions. "It might surprise you, but I was not nearly as stupid as you seemed to make out. I was aware I'd loose from the very start. I mean, can you imagine those stubborn old geezers lend support to the idea of the demon spawn lording over the very village? The very notion is ludicrous."

"But then why such meaningless attempt at vengeance?" Neji hesitated before raising the question. Unlike many of his relations, the proud Hyuuga had held a grudging respect for the vessel ever since the day the condemned youth knocked some sense into the white eyed prodigy. "Naruto…"

Naruto looked at Neji in an almost friendly way. Almost, but not quite. "Yes, I did realize my effort would be doomed, hell, I even realize I would not make a good Hokage – I was too brash, too headstrong, and too passionate for that. But I did expect my friends to at least stand by me… After almost seven years, I thought… I dared even so moronically believe that I at least earned that much loyalty. I imagined that no matter how much the village might rally against me, I could at least count on the votes of a few _friends_, if for nothing else than to reassure myself that I could still change the perception of some of the population."

He glared at each of them in turn.

"And you let me down."

"Naruto…" Kiba sighed as he tried to console his 'friend', but stopped dead at a murderous glare from the said target. "We were only acting as decreed by our clan… Our own opinion isn't worth a damn… And we didn't think you would be hurt this much… I… look… I feel like lower than crud after what I did, but what other choice do I have?"

Naruto watched the dog user as if he had sprouted a third arm somewhere one wouldn't expect a third arm to grow from. "Not much? And please enlighten me, how ever did you reach this conclusion. After all, I had only shouted my dream on every available occasion – perhaps that was not enough to convey a clear message?"

Kiba was at a lost for words.

Naruto turned away from him, his stoic expression returning again. Facing the assembly, he continued in an impassioned speech. "Well, at any rate, you might be surprised to hear this, but I didn't run away and fake my death because of that. It might have influenced my decision, but it's not the straw that broke the camel's back. I been through hell my entire life, did you really think that one event would break me so easily? I did come to the realization that if it had not been your clan interest – something clearly above me in importance – you would have at least given me support. That I think can be assured of."

"I don't understand, then." Gaara gave voice to the thought on everyone's mind. "Why would you have defected from Konoha if you speak the truth?"

"Power. What else would I run away for? It certainly wasn't because of a marathon." The look of consternation and shock made Naruto's day. If only he had a camera to capture the moment. The sight of it was too priceless for words. He would have made a fortune selling the photos alone. "You see, I've always thought that the reason I failed – whether it be the Chunin Exam, Sasuke retrieval, or the election – was because I wasn't stubborn or adamant enough, that I didn't try as hard as I could. Then it dawned on me. I was failing not because of my lack of dogged determination. I was failing because I lacked power."

When no one made any sound, Naruto continued.

"If I had enough power, none of my mistakes would have happened. If I had enough power, I wouldn't have failed to persuade Sasuke into coming back – I'd have beaten him into a bloody pulp and dragged his half-corpse to the village gate. If I had enough power, I didn't need to implore so earnestly that the village see past the demon in me when they're about to cast their vote – I could intimidate them into doing the same in much shorter a time." He enjoyed the gasp and murmur of horror that accompanied his words. "So in the end, power is what it came down to. When reason fails, might make right."

"So you are just like that filthy Uchiha and Orochimaru, then." Jiraiya all but snarled. He couldn't believe that one of his own students would turn out this horrible. It made him feel sick to the stomach at the thought. "You traitor."

"Like them? I'm anything but like them." Naruto shook his head. "They were – and still is, in my opinion – complete and utter morons. Well, Orochimaru I could understand, survival being one of our chief instincts. But Sasuke? There's not a bigger idiot in the world. Konoha would have helped him realize his dream much better than any where else on the planet. He would have surpassed Orochimaru, even surpassed his brother, if he had but stayed. And yet like the dumb little shit I always thought he was, he gave all that up to pursue a second rate promise. Laughable."

Ino looked confused. She wasn't the only one. "But wouldn't that make you dumber than Sasuke?"

Naruto wagged a finger, as one would at a misbehaving child. "I'm not Sasuke, Ino-chan, and that makes all the difference in the world. You see, our dear little former-comrade had everything handed to him on a silver platter. What ever he want he would have gotten sooner or later. Hell, the villagers practically kissed the ground he walked on. If he had wanted to grow stronger, I'm sure the Leaf would have backed him up with everything it got. After all, what village doesn't what a stronger Sharingan user as a weapon? Me? The village would rather see me completely mundane and helpless. I'm sure seventy percent of the population would like nothing more than to have me incapable of wielding even a spork."

His laughter was cold and callous, devoid of humor.

"Sasuke talked about how the village was holding him back. But then, even with Sharingan, he was as blind as a bat. The village would only push him to ever soaring places. On the other hand, the village was trying to hold _me_ back with everything in it's power. How could I attain power, how could I reach my full potential, when I dwell in a place that wanted my head on a platter? Konoha possesses the resource for me to succeed and grow, no doubt, just not the motivation or desire. Remember how I told Neji that one must not give in to destiny? Well, it seems there are destinies that could not be changed – mine being one of them. So I went for the next best thing. I re-forged another."

Then the youth shrugged.

"It's nothing personal, really, but you have about five minutes to reach a decision in regards to my proposal. And I promise I won't allow my personal feelings to interfere with my ruling the village."

**XXXXXX**

"Itachi!" A scream rend the air, causing both party to look up in surprise. Over to their right (or left, as relative to their position), stood none other than a furious looking Sasuke, dressed in garbs similar to the ones Sound-nins wore. Behind him stood his elite body guards – formerly known as Sound Four. "I found you at last, brother."

"Oh wonderful." Naruto rolled his eyes and muttered sarcastically. "Now the drama queen's here too. Well this day is getting better already. I do hope dinner could make up for all this _excitement_."

"I'm sure it will, Leader-sama." Kisame replied, licking his chops. He had a hand over the handle of his massive cleaver, though he seemed not particularly interested in using it. You wouldn't believe how long it take to wrap the thing in bandage. And beside, the blade was only reserved for _worthy_ foes. "Tobi has a penchant for food, it seems."

"Ah, finally, some good news" The blond traitor brightened immensely at this. "I always did say that boy could have been a chef if he quit the outlawed life."

Sasuke, on the other hand, did not seem so pleased at being ignored. "What the hell are you doing with Itachi, dobe?" The raven haired Uchiha survivor hissed angrily, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"My patience with you is wearing dangerously thin. You must learn your place." In an equally dangerous tone, the fox boy turned to his once teammate, his eyes shifting from his usual blue to a shade of dark crimson. The color of blood, the color of the Mangekyo. "Tsukuyomi."

Sasuke screamed as he was pulled into the realm of illusions, and subjected to a world of pain. At first nothing happened, then slowly, gash begin to appear all over his exposed skin, blood seeping across his body, pooling at his feet.

All of the Suna and Konoha delegates wore looks of incredulity on their faces. They had no idea… never in their wildest imagination did they thought even for a minute that the dead last would come to possess the prized Sharingan, and to achieve its ultimate form as well. It seemed so absurd, so bizarre, and so farfetched.

Kakashi's surprise was more pronounced than any of them. As one of the holders of the Mangekyo, he knew better than anyone its limitations. While in this stage, the Sharingan can be used to produce extremely powerful Genjutsus – even the dreaded Tsukuyomi, as Naruto had so effortlessly demonstrated – no hallucinations could actually inflict physical harm upon a person. They can be used to kill, certainly – by convince the victim they are suffocating, for instance – but to actually draw blood was quite another story.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Naruto's voice sounded in the cyclops's ears, mocking and malicious. "It's a much more powerful form of Tsukuyomi, produced with the Chakra of a demon. The enchantment is so powerful that I could actually convince the cells to die, the heart to burst, the liver to fail… and the brain to shut down all together. I could, in other words, bend reality itself."

The illusion lifted without warning, leaving a severely injured Sasuke on the ground, white as a sheet from pain and blood loss. The almighty Uchiha had been reduced to a blood stained mess by a single glance.

"Now that the interruption is over, allow us to move unto the heart of the matter – the matter of your immediate surrender."

**XXXXXX**

Sakura looked uneasy as the two factions stood near their agreed meeting place, with not a word passing between them. How did things fall out so badly? She didn't know. Or perhaps she did, but simply didn't want to remember. The rift between her… no… between the village and Naruto would not be mended. He was dead to them now. Now and forever more. She bit her lips to keep tear from filling her eyes.

They were all going to die.

None of them are aware of it yet, but this whole meeting had been nothing more than trap, a trap to lure the Akatsuki leader to his inevitable doom. And every single one of them – the Hokage, the Kazekage, and their followers, are bait. Sakura was one of the two people privies to this secret. The other being the Hokage herself, who had arranged for this almost kamikaze like maneuver.

She recalled walking into the subterranean chambers where 'it' was stored, an enormous monument to the ingenuity and malevolence of humanity. Centuries, even millenniums of accumulated dust did nothing to ward off the aura of unspeakable evil hidden within its metallic shells. Tsunade was already standing beside the death contraption when the pink haired kunoichi had arrived at her side. There was a grim, almost forlorn look on the healer's enchanted visages as she gazed up at the crystallization of men's intelligence, distilled in absolute heresy.

"This is the only way." The aging Hokage had murmured as she felt her apprentice resting a comforting hand on her shoulders. "The only way to stop the madness. There is no other choice."

"But what is it?" The girl dared venture fearfully, almost as though her voice could offset the dangerous item.

"The physical manifestation of the ultimate horror." Her sensei had answered cryptically. "The sins of the world made material."

"I…see…"

Once the contraption is activated, Tsunade had informed her charge, there would be a ten minute count down before the mechanism can be triggered. Ten minute – all her own men had to do was to stall this mysterious leader for but ten short minute, and it would finally end. But the prowess of their enemy was legendary – he had taken down entire legions without a scratch, or so it was claimed.

Even the Hokage, being one of the Sannin, was uncertain if her forces could even detain him for such duration. But she'd be damned if she tired nothing to save her village from so vile a tyranny.

"You don't have to come, you know." Tsunade had smile fondly when she finished laying out her plan. "You could always stay with the villagers…"

Sakura had shaken her head resolutely. "I am a Jonin of Konohagakure no Sato. It is my honor and duty to die serving and protecting the Hidden village I so loved."

"I understand." The woman who had been almost like a mother to her had spoken no more on the subject.

Though as the two of them had left the chamber, the dimly light torchlight flared up for a single second as a ill omen wind blew through the underground maze, illuminating fading words imprinted upon the sphere like object resting upon what looked to be an altar of sorts.

WMD ID / 24321 / CLASS A ANTI-MATTER

**XXXXXX**

"Pitiful." Naruto looked down at the fallen form of his friends in disdain. Though he had killed none of them, his blow had enough force behind it to render the brave Konoha-nins' hapless for a good long while. Each hit had shattered at least one bone, if not more, and laced with his own sinister brand of Chakra, the strikes had effectively rendered the opposing party unable to utilize defense measures of any sort. "I had expected more resistance from you."

Tsunade made a valiant effort to reply, only to cough up blood. She had been one of the first to fall, having been slammed against the ground with the full force of a herd of raging bulls. It was something of a feat in it self that she could even stay conscious after the blow had landed.

"I should finish you here and now for your betrayal." Naruto muttered as he lifted an arm. Black flames coated the length of his hand, elongating into a sword of pure Chakra. Yet there was something _wrong_ about the energy that pulsed around the blonde's outstretched fingers. It felt tainted and hateful, cruel and malicious beyond imagining. "Now, Hokage-sama, any last words?" He taunted as the same colorless sword was summoned to his hand.

"Just one." The dying Hokage grinned as she spat out through clenched teeth. "Boom."

Somewhere below them, a red ticking number reached zero.

**XXXXXX**

Somewhere, several alternate universes away, a blue eyed blond child awoke with a start. Staring up at the white ceiling with curious eyes, the child than proceeded to do something no new born ever did in history.

"Well, that's just peachy." The boy muttered in his babyish accent as he let out a long sigh. "Shinigami, I'm taking your balls the next time we meet."

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**AN: Well, that's the newest version of Once Upon A Midnight Moon. What are your thoughts? Like it, hate it, tell me.**

**XXXXXX**

**Preview: **

"_I can give you your heart's desire, Itachi-kun. I shall give you the key to your cage, I shall give you talons to strike back against those who so imprisoned you, and I shall give you wings with which to soar beneath an endless sky. I alone hold your freedom, and in exchange, you have but to serve me." – Uzumaki Naruto_

**XXXXXX**


	2. Ch1: The Lesser of Two Evil

**Once Upon A Midnight Moon – A Naruto Fan Fiction**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all its related materials. I do own this plot and any OC created in the future. I do not generate any revenue from this work of literature, it is written for the sole purpose of entertainment.

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_**Chapter 1: The Lesser of two Evil**_

_6 years later_

Uzumaki Naruto grinned as he looked down at his prisoner, one of the civilians who had decided to take certain matters to his own hands and act the hero the ailing Hokage did not have the courage to be. The man had even managed to attack Naruto under the pretense of a drunkard, though his movements are anything but uncoordinated. Naruto had thanked whatever deity above for such providence – his _supply _is running low, after all.

"Your name?" His voice with filled with cruel joy as he kneed the man hard, causing his guest to wheeze in pain as the air was forced from his lungs. When the man hesitated to speak, Naruto rewarded him with several swift kicks in between the legs. He didn't particularly care for the answer at any rate; he just enjoyed the sight of a tortured soul. Besides, the man brought it on himself. "I shan't ask again, wretched creature."

"Miyamato… Usagi…" Came the barely conscious reply. Naruto frowned at this new development. Damn, he had expected a tougher spine. Looking down with a trace of disgust in his eyes, he issued his next question, his right hand reaching for a hidden kunai. A kid like him was not suppose to have one of these things, of course, but Naruto was quite the master thief, if the situation called for it.

"Family?"

"Orphaned… by you…" Snarled the now fully awakened citizen, his eyes red with anger. It was obvious he hated the blond child with every fiber of his being. Naruto didn't much care; he hated the man right back. With a blur his left hand shot out, and loped of the man's right ear.

"I thought I made it clear you're only to answer my question, and nothing else." He stated in a monotone, not at all bothered by the screaming or the blood. He reserved no mercy for his preys, or anyone else he decided was not fit to live. "Scream all you want, there is no one to hear you. Now, next question."

It was unsettling to see a mere boy behaving in so cold and malicious a manner, but then again, Uzumaki Naruto had a life time of memories inside his head – he could hardly be considered young, or naive. With a blood chilling angelic smile, he walked away from the whimpering captive, admiring his handiwork.

"Whose order are you under?" Large doe like blue eyes met the man's own, cold and depthless, like those of a demon from hell. There were only a savage pleasure in the abomination's blue orbs as the beheld the barely hidden fear of his prisoner.

"Go to hell, you monster." The villager spat. Or tried to, before his teeth were shattered by a fist not there a second ago.

Naruto simply chuckled as he retrieved his fist, and with his other hand, produced a vial from beneath his cloth. He shook the content of the container before the bounded figure, who watched with apprehension as the clear, colorless liquid of the device swirled around within the glass walls. "Do you know what this is?"

When his answer was met with a fearful shake of head, he continued, his voice barely audible, and the cruel joy within his tone fully detectable. "It's one of the most powerful aphrodisiac known to men. A single droplet of this will turn this most chaste of maidens into the most deplorable of whores, and the most steel willed men into sex crazed animals who could do naught but to fulfill his basest of desires. A single taste and you cannot help but mate with the first thing you see."

His whisper was so cold it was freezing to the bone, as though Satan himself had spoken through the boy, using his tongue to deliver some message of unthinkable evil. "Can you imagine what would happen, if I force the entire vial down your throat, and leave you alone with a pack of bitch (1) in heat, in plain sight of the entire town? Now, the answer, if you please."

The man's eyes widened in utter horror at this, and he forced the painful words from his dislocated jaws. "Ah…acted on…mah own…"

Naruto raised an eyebrow and regarded the man with something akin to surprise. "Oh, so you followed no one's orders, is that right? Well, mister Usagi, it would seem that I have misjudged you completely. You are a far brave soul that I had expected."

His grin was enough to split his face in two as he bend down and mumbled the last words next to the captive's ears. "I hope you scream long and hard, mister brave-heart, when I stripe the flesh from your bones inch by careful inch."

"A (The)…ohage (Hokage)…on (won't)…et (let)…ou (you)…" The man sputtered fearfully. Naruto simply laughed all the harder at his pleading words.

"The Hokage isn't going to know… not now… not ever (2)."

To his credit, Miyamato Usagi screamed the loudest in his life when the torture began.

**XXXXXX**

One thousand two hundred and fifty two. One thousand two hundred and fifty three. One thousand two hundred and fifty four. Naruto smiled as he pummeled the wooden post with in a mindless rhythm. The training stake had been all but demolished by his childish fists, splinters of timber falling to the sweat stained ground in a rapid shower. The boy could feel his muscle contort and harden with each blow, his body growing stronger under the near inhuman training he had forced himself to undergo.

Power is everything.

He had awoken in this world naked and defenseless. His once immense – near infinite Chakra stripped from his body, his monstrous strength robbed by infancy. He was left powerless and weak. He was left without any form of protection in a hostile world that sought only to snuff out an ember that barely begun to burn. And the feeling of loss hit him hard. To fall from grace from such a height was devastating to the _former_ leader of the Akatsuki, as though one of the Olympian Gods was cast from his seat upon Mt. Olympus, and down to the mortal world below.

It was utterly maddening. And the lust for power Naruto thought he had sated rose once again, stronger than ever before. So he threw himself into training, determined to change the past he once lived.

But at least this time, he was not without any form of aid. He had retained his memories, after all, and that would in time, prove to be his greatest asset. No longer would he blindly stray from a beaten path, having memorized the various teaching scrolls handed down by legendary shinobis of ages past. No longer would he attack the training dummies with only zeal and vigor, and lacking in style and finesse. Now, he followed the careful guidance of master swordsmen and warriors of yesteryears, relearning the accumulated knowledge of an entire world.

And after all, knowledge is power.

So far, it was going fairly smoothly. Given that he had retained his Mangekyo, he was able to set aside his Genjutsu training for now. Besides, the true power of a Genjutsu lies not in the amount of Chakra supplied, but in the clash of will. Naruto doubted any mortal in this world could hope to stand as his equal when it comes to the strength of one's mind. Instead, his most urgent attention lies in the area of taijutsu, or rather, the endurance of his body.

Back in his own world, Uzumaki Naruto had developed a fighting style unique to his situation, relying on a combination of Genjutsu and Ninjutsu and Taijutsu being utilized at the same time. It was immensely effective, able to subdue the combined efforts of Itachi and Kisame within five seconds of deployment. Yet the strain caused by the said form was unimaginable.

For a lesser ninja, the exhaustion would have killed him. And by the time Naruto could fully command the said style of combat, his body was hardened to the point where he could have stopped Tsuande's full forced blow with a single finger. Naruto did not have the luxury right now. So, after coping with the fact that he was not going back, Naruto decided his first objective would be the training of his body.

Luckily, with both experience and an incredible healing factor to lean on, Naruto progressed by leaps and bounds. He was actually able to perform his fighting style for a small duration and on a much smaller scale as well. Even then, he had fainted right afterwards.

Damn this body.

Still, he had succeeded nonetheless, and that was always cause for celebration.

**XXXXXX**

When the boy had finished his physical training – since the day he was able to walk, Naruto had not taken a single day off from his routine, trusting the demonic regeneration process to run its course – the boy would then move on to his Ninjutsu practice. Like Taijutsu, Ninjutsu too required a sturdy container.

Normally speaking, a child's body such as Naruto's would be unable to handle the intensity of the Chakra without internal damage. But thanks to the blonde's merciless training regimen, he was able to perform Jonin leveled techniques consecutively without tiring. And as a result of this, by his current estimation, the leader… er… soon too be leader of the Akatsuki was somewhere on par with an eighteen years old Itachi. And that was saying a lot.

For the moment, Naruto concentrated on an often neglected area of his Ninjutsu exercises. In blurring speed, the boy moved through the hand seals, his eyes closed in concentration. Hand seals are one of the most important aspects of the Shinobi art, shaping and guiding Chakra to a physical form. Yet once the average Shinobi gain some semblance of mastery over the subject, it was promptly forgotten. The more fool them.

Over sixty percent of the time in a duel between Shinobis, it is speed that claimed victory – the speed of the body, and the speed of the Jutsu. To be able to form one's attacks before your opponent does – even if by the interval of a second, could spell the difference between life and death.

As far as Naruto could tell, the average shinobi could form about three seals at the most in a second. A Kage ranked Shinobi could produce a maximum of eight. As a prodigy, Uchiha Itachi could manage to perform eleven in rare circumstances that he was pushed to his limit. At his prime, Naruto was able to make somewhere around twenty four, if not more.

Unfortunately, this too was lost. And like his physical prowess, the reclaiming of the said abilities is of the highest priorities.

With a sigh, the reincarnated carrier looked down in disgust at his hands. ten seals in under a second. Pitiful. Again the boy was reminded just how useless this flesh unit is. The Shinigami was going to pay for this.

Before he could think up the proper torture for the Death God, the boy heard of loud noise some distance from his secluded spot. _What now?_ The man-child rolled his eyes in exasperation. _Spare me_.

Standing up from his meditative stance, the blonde walked towards the source of the disturbance to investigate. What he found was the start of a change that would alter destiny itself.

**XXXXXX**

"Leave her alone you bullies!" Ino screamed as she stood protectively over a sobbing Sakura, her arms stretched out to protect the younger of the two girls. The blond girl was a mess, her cloth torn and her hair frizzled from a previous scuffle with the pack of mean spirited boys who had picked on the pink haired child on account of her forehead.

Emerald eyes glowering angrily, the platinum blond ninja-in-training growled at the offenders, who were still in an uproar at the sight of Ino's foolhardy bravery.

"What, we are only telling the truth!" One of them, a plain faced boy with mousy hair sneered down at the Haruno's crumpled form. "Her forehead is so big; you could fit Konoha on it."

This, in turn, caused a fresh peal of laughter from the troublemakers, some of them doubled over in highly exaggerated hilarity. Sakura's eyes welled up at this, and she tried to restrain a strangled sob from escaping her lips.

Ino's growl became all the louder. Just as she was about to stomp the leader of the pack to the ground, a new presence made it self known. A voice of a child no older than they were, but far more mature and stolid, cut through the uproar the boys made in the park. "And just what do we have here?"

Naruto watched the assembled crowd impassively, his face the epitome of indifference. To be honest, he didn't give half a damn about whatever went on in this little escapade of the children's. Despite being technically their age, his mind was far more complex than these… brats. It was an offense to both he and his dignity if he were to lower himself to consort with such brainless morons any longer than absolutely necessary.

Perhaps if they bothered to show some intelligence, Naruto might have been more tolerant of their presence. But really now, was one really to expect any more from mere six year olds? Ninjas' six year olds, certainly, but no more genetically different than that of a civilian's.

"Hey, it's the freak!" One of the boys exclaimed. His words have barely made out of his mouth before he was lifted from the ground, a hand wrapped around his throat. Naruto smiled up at his victim, revealing slightly more pronounced canines. And in his once oceanic blue eyes, there now swam a trace of crimson.

"Do mind that insolent tongue of yours, boy." Naruto hissed venomously, noting with pleasure the growing wet spot on the child's pants. "It could do wonders for your life expectancy."

Dropping the irritation to the ground, Naruto turned to face the rest of the gang, who all flinched as the blonde's cold dark eyes traveled across each of them. Then, with a smile worthy of a demon, Naruto made a casual gesture over towards the exit of the park.

"Before I lose my patience… kindly remove yourself from my sight… now."

The pack of rascals scrambled to obey.

Power was good.

"Um… thanks…" Ino said uncertainly as she helped her friend to her feet. She remember seeing the boy somewhere, though the exact details are rather hazy. Was he part of her class? He does look rather familiar, even if she couldn't place his face. "What's your name?"

Naruto eyed her warily. He didn't mind Ino too much back in his own timeline. She could be loud and annoying at times, even to the point of down right mean, but then again, she had been one of the first outside Team Seven to befriend the pariah. It was something, the host supposed. Besides, she really was, or will be, a sight for sore eyes soon enough.

"I am called Uzumaki Naruto." He said with a thoughtful look on his face as he debated whether or not to tell the truth. "Commit it to memory."

**XXXXXX**

Inoichi sighed as he looked around the recreational area, searching for his missing daughter. It has been a little over two hours since Ino left to find her friend, one Haruno Sakura, and since then, the Jonin had seen neither hide nor hair of the over active blond. Despite his perfect confidence in his daughter's abilities, Inoichi was getting somewhat worried.

True, most of the Konohan residences know enough to stay away from a carrier of a clan's insignia, but then again, the stupidity; greed and lust of a human could never be underestimated. The blond man suppressed a shudder at the unthinkable possibility that a pedophile lurked around the place.

Then, fifteen minutes after the search began, Inoichi found his target. He immediately recognized the bright blond hair, as well as the shock of pink that belonged to Sakura, one of the few children Ino had considered friend. Yet he did not recall the third child with the sun kissed hair. The boy did look familiar though.

Wait a moment. Ino is actually playing with a boy? Inoichi made a soft 'Kai' noise, just to make certain he wasn't under some sort of Genjutsu. How was that possible? Did God decide to end the world early without informing Inoichi about it? What other possible explanation could there be for this logic defying behavior?

It was then the identity of the boy struck him. The Kyuubi brat. There was a deep intake of breath at the realization. His daughter is hanging around the outcast of the village, and seemed happy about it, no less. Inoichi remembered that terrible day, when the Kyuubi invaded the peaceful village hidden in Leaf. Never, in all of their history, had the Shinobis of Fire suffered such casualty and such near defeat. It had taken the lives of near thousands, and the soul of their greatest Hokage, to finally end the terror and torment.

A torment that took the form of one little child.

No. The Yamanaka Jonin corrected himself. Not the incarnation, but a vessel. The boy wasn't the spirit of the demonic fox, merely the prison, the warden, and the container thereof. In some ways, Inoichi supposed he should have felt sorry for the boy. No child is born without sin, and yet, Naruto's innocence was stripped of him the very day they condemned him to such a fate.

Despite his pity, however, Inoichi would not allow his daughter to be around the ostracized boy for any longer. It wouldn't, for her reputation, or her safety. What if the seal fail and the fox was loosed? What if some villager gotten it into his minds that he should carry out justice by his own means? What if… What if…

Just as he steeled his resolve and approached the small gathering, their words reached his ears, and froze him where he stood.

"Those boys are so mean." Sakura was speaking, with a little sniffle in her voice. Inoichi shook his head sympathetically. It wasn't nice, being bullied based on one's physical feature. He remembers having this massive wart one year – it was one of the worst memories he had.

"Yeah." Ino agreed, attempting, but failing horribly to look sagely. "I mean, why do they call you a freak, Naruto? That was uncalled for."

'A freak?' Inoichi frowned. Of course, those children must have picked up the phrase from their parents. While the Hokage expressed explicitly that the violation of the secret would result in death, it did not prevent the adults from passing their prejudice on to latter generations in far more subtle manners. Children copied the behavior of their sires, after all.

"I am what I am." Naruto stated coldly, and though his eyes were focused on the two girls before him, his attention was upon a partially hidden Jonin some distance away. Wonderful, it was going according to plan. Inoichi had been one of neutral Shinobis, who neither hated Naruto nor respected him for what he is. But with a few carefully chosen words from the mouth of an 'innocent' six-year old, Naruto knew he could sway the man's opinion. Humans are so very easy to manipulate. "Or rather, I am what this society has made me."

Inoichi felt as though someone had punched him in his gut. _I am what the society has made me…_ It was troubling thoughts. And just what did the society make Naruto? The constant hatred, the loathing, the anger misdirected. They had always considered the boy to be monster by his very inheritance, and yet not once did they consider the impact of their own action. If Naruto did indeed become the monster, who was to blame?

"Ino… it's time… let's go home. Your mother is worried. Sakura-chan, your father asked me to come and find you as well. Let's go." He at last called out weakly. The petite blond girl nodded and waved her friends goodbye before joining her father. Sakura smiled shyly at her new friend, and followed Ino, leaving Naruto alone in the now deserted park.

"So, who is that?" Inoichi questioned innocently as the three of them had put a good distance between them and the park.

"Oh, it's this really nice boy we met today." Ino explained cheerfully, and Sakura nodded in support.

Inoichi raised an eyebrow. "I thought you hate icky boys, Ino." He teased good-naturedly.

"Well, Naruto is a boy, but he's not icky, right?" Ino cocked her head to her side in thought. "So can we play with him later?"

Inoichi was about to refuse, before the word of the isolated vessel drifted back to him. With a forced smile, he looked down at his daughter and patted her head lovingly. "Sure, Ino, you can play with him as much as you like."

Now how was he going to break this news to his wife?

**XXXXXX**

Naruto chuckled darkly as he watched them leave. Inoichi would relent, he was certain of it. Sometimes, it didn't pay to be a Shinobi of reason, after all. He was rather surprised at how pleasant the girls had been, a far outcry from the screeching harpies they had been years from now. Well, perhaps that was too harsh of a statement. Once they had gotten over their obsession of the Uchiha brat, they were fairly decent people to be around – not to mention extremely attractive.

Their presence had altered Naruto's carefully formulated plans. The boy didn't complain, however. In fact, he had found this new development to be particularly favorable. Naruto enjoyed a challenge, in this world or the next. To control every aspect of an event simply didn't provide him with an amusement. Which was why he was half regretful, back in that other parallel, that he had eliminated most of the capable resistance – they would have served as sufficient entertainment, if nothing else.

Conquering the world just isn't fun, if your opponent had allowed you to walk all over them without putting up a fight.

Now, the arrival of the two girls had given him an idea. He was going to change their future, and the future of anyone his mind had made a note of. He would see how far he could push the boundaries of fate, how much of a deviation he could cause from destiny's intended course. Could he, perhaps, change the tragic past of Gaara? Or could he, maybe, impact the sufferings of Neji? Might he even prevent the two girls slobbering over the Uchiha prat?

Well, maybe not Sasuke's plight. Because the little bastard just plain deserved it. For god sake, he had punctured Naruto with that thrice damned Chidori, three times. There are some things Naruto did not tolerate, repeated injuries being one of them.

Joy, this is going to be fun.

But before he could do that, he had an organization to assemble.

**XXXXXX**

Itachi panted as he leapt back from the post, launching a great fireball at the same time, reducing the training stake to ashes. The young prodigy looked up from his spot, his signature Sharingan scanning the area meticulously. He had thought he had detected some movement, but perhaps it was just the wind.

Turning, he faced his next foe, a training dummy made from some of the sturdiest materials the Uchiha clan could find. Though judging by the dent and scars that marred its skin, Itachi had spent quite a lot of time on the object in question. With seemingly no movement, two Kage Bunshin appeared in front of him and charged towards the immobile opponent, each clutching at a previously hidden dagger. Even as they fought against the foe, Itachi enveloped the lifeless contraption in a Genjutsu, before whispering softly, "Bunshin Daibakuha. (Clone Great Explosion) "

The resultant blast cleared the area, scorching the dummy and leveling the surrounding trees. Uchiha Itachi smiled grimly as he observed his handiwork. He was getting stronger, he could feel it. How long would it be, before he could achieve his dream?

_Clap. Clap. Clap._

The genius turned in alarm as he heard the clapping, his eyes wide in surprise. He had not even heard the intruder approach, and he's an ANBU captain, for heaven sakes! Crimson Sharingans narrowed, however, when he found himself face to face with none other than the Kyuubi container himself. How very odd, Itachi pondered. Why would Uzumaki Naruto search himself out for any reason?

"Very good… Itachi-kun." Itachi remained where he was, his suspicion growing all the while. Itachi-kun? How unexpected a title. If anything, he should be the one to employ the suffix of kun, not this little boy. Yet there was something strange about the child, something utterly sinister. Itachi couldn't put his finger on it, but Naruto didn't feel like a kid. He felt older, more powerful, and more confident. "Your reputation is well earned, I see."

"What do you want… Uzumaki-san?" Itachi questioned cautiously. Was someone using Naruto as a liaison in order to reach him? Or could it be that there is more to the carrier of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox than meets the eyes?

"Unfortunately," Naruto ignored his query, and continued pacing back and forth before Itachi, all the while fixing his ceruleans eyes upon the visage of the older teen. "It will take far more than that to reach your goal."

Itachi gasped involuntarily. Impossible… how could this child know? How much did he know? No… how could his secret had slipped out? He had told no one. And no one must learn of his desire, or there will be much repercussion. And before the flaxen haired boy could reach, Itachi appeared before him and struck out with his dagger, only to find the container vanish in a puff of smoke.

_A Kage Bunshin? Since when?_

"My, my, how impatient we are." Five Naruto echoed from around him, each wearing the same knowing smile on his pubescent face. He was the very image of a fallen angel, a dark malice shrouded in a pure shell. "It would seem I have hit a sore spot."

_More shadow clones?_ Itachi wondered as he dodged several half hearted attempts at Kunai throwing. The brat was toying with him. _No… A Genjutsu. _At the thought, the prodigy activated his Sharingan, seemingly surprising the child. _There, found him_.

With a grunt, the Uchiha launched himself at the true Naruto, clasping his left wrist with one hand, and with the other, reaching for his dagger. But before he could do so, he felt himself knocked forward by two powerful kicks from the behind. Twisting in midair, he managed to land on his feet, and faced the direction where the attack had come.

Two identical Narutos stood smugly over a third, whose features bore little emotion outside boredom. The three disappeared all at once, leaving only smoke behind. _Damn!_ Itachi swore silently. The boy had purposefully dropped his guard, so as to lure him into a false sense of victory. But how? He was certain he had captured the real Uzumaki just a moment ago.

"Your skills are impressive." A voice said from above him. Itachi's head jerked towards the direction of the noise, and found himself face to face with yet another Naruto. "But only so much."

With that, the clone exploded, sending Itachi backwards, and slammed painfully into the trunk of a massive tree.

"Now, we can begin our little discussion." The real Naruto grinned as he walked out from his hiding place.

"How?" Itachi asked weakly as he tried to rise. "How?"

"You don't get it do you?" Naruto chuckled. "All that time, you were under a Genjutsu."

"What?!" Itachi all but cried out in surprise. How could that be possible? His Sharingan was active all through the fight. If a Genjutsu had been cast, he would have been able to perceive it.

"You're not the only one with a Sharingan to your name, Itachi." Naruto grinned as he allowed the blood red to seep into his eyes and revealed his Mangekyo. Crimson met scarlet as scarlet widened in shock. Mangekyo… the legendary form of the Sharingan, thought to be all but unobtainable. No one had mastered the doujutsu for over a century, and yet the very curse of the village has held this immense power all this time?

How utterly absurd.

"Mangekyo…" Itachi whispered the name. "But you are not of the Uchiha lineage…"

"I might have some Uchiha blood, who knows." Naruto shrugged. "The Uchihas did occasionally intermarry, just so the incest wouldn't run too deep." Itachi had to admit the boy had a point.

"What do you want, then, Uzumaki-san?" He asked at last, when the pain had subsided. He doubted Naruto would have simply interrupted his training for nothing, then proceeds to demonstrate to him one of the most powerful bloodline limit in history as though it was nothing.

"It is not what I want that matters, but what you want." Naruto's grin never faded as he knelt before Itachi's fallen form. "And I know what is it that your heart desire, better than anyone in this village."

Itachi said nothing, but the pariah knew the prodigy was listening.

"You wish for freedom." The Uchiha genius' eyes opened at this, and he stared at the boy in disbelief. "You want freedom, from your duties… from your clan… from your village… from your cage."

Ignoring the stunned chocking noise, Naruto continued, his eyes shifting back to their normal state. He could tell his words had affected the young Uchiha. It was all going according to plan, then.

"I can give you your heart's desire, Itachi-kun. I shall give you the key to your cage, I shall give you talons to strike back against those who so imprisoned you, and I shall give you wings with which to soar beneath an endless sky. I alone hold your freedom, and in exchange, you have but to serve me." Naruto smiled as he held out a hand towards the ANBU captain.

"Only to exchange one master for another." Itachi sneered. It was strange that he did not question the boy's words, nor did he think it odd that a six year old child should make such a claim. There was something about the aura of Naruto, something cold and evil, something unnatural, and not entirely human.

"Who in this world could claim true freedom?" Naruto retorted with a snort. "Who could truly be free of bondage and shackles of the material world? I am simply the lesser of the two evils."

It was a long time before Itachi spoke, but when he did, there was a conviction in his eyes. "Very well… I shall follow you, if you could stay true to your promise… Naruto-sama."

**XXXXXX**

_Two days later_

"You have accomplished the deed, then." Naruto said without looking, knowing the identity of the intruder at his doorway. Itachi stood, dressed in the traditional cloak of the ANBU, though with one difference from his past self. Where once resided two fully matured Sharingan was now replaced by a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan. Itachi Uchiha had become the third person to obtain this fabled power. (3)

"Yes…Shisui Uchiha is… dead." Itachi still felt reluctance concerning the murder. On one hand, Shisui was his best friend since they were but children, on the other, he represents the shackle that chained him to the clan, especially now that Itachi was made aware of the man's spying activities.

"Good." Naruto smirked ominously. "Now we can proceed with the next stage of the plan. I trust you are ready?"

"I am." Itachi replied with a bow of respect. "But forgive my doubts, how can we hope to stand against the entire compound – even with the Mangekyo Sharingans at our disposal?"

Naruto laughed at this. Unlike in public, his laughter was anything but pleasant. It was freezing cold, sending shivers down Itachi's spine as it echoed through the small cramped room. "There are other ways to eliminate a foe. Poison, for instance."

At this, he handed Itachi a small glass cylinder containing some sort of crystal clear liquid. "Tasteless, scentless, and colorless. Practically untraceable. I took the liberty of pouring it down the Uchiha's drinking well. It should be taking effect any moment now. This kind of venom isn't fatal, but it severely hampers the nervous, the muscle, and the Chakra conductor system. It will render the best Shinobis useless in a battle."

"Wouldn't the Uchihas have a counter agent?" Itachi questioned as the two of them prepared for the confrontation, packing various weapons into small, portable scrolls and donning intimidating black cloaks that concealed them, alone with most of their body and face. "Their roots are deep."

"Not this kind of poison, no." Naruto shook his head as he headed out the door, making certain no one was in the immediate vicinity. "I designed it myself, after all."

As Naruto had predicated, they encounter no resistance as they entered the manor, killing anyone who stood in their way. While Itachi had engaged several Jonins in a close quartered combat, Naruto had not moved a single finger, allowing his own clones to do the dirty work. Less than half an hour later, the proud clan of Uchiha titers on the brink of extinction.

"That's the last of them, beside your parents." Naruto muttered in disdain as he stepped over one Uchiha's corpse. At the very least, they were clean kills. Itachi had been very precise in his battles, and the damage showed. There were no bodies that bore more than a single fatal wound. "Well, and your brothers."

"And they are the final chains which bound me." Itachi growled, wiping the blood of his Kunai on a fallen clansman's cloth. Soon, he would be free. He was cutting all ties from this accursed place.

"Leave your brother out of this, Itachi." Naruto shot him a warning look. "As much as I understand your hatred of him, he will serve an important purpose in the future."

"Itachi! What is the meaning of this?!" Fugaku Uchiha screamed in rage as he discovered the bloodbath, interrupting the conversation. "What have you done?"

"I have done what I always wanted to do…" Itachi replied menacingly. "I am freeing myself from you. Goodbye, father mine."

**XXXXXX**

Itachi watched impassively as a Kage Bunshin of Naruto's carried his unconscious brother from the room. He had suppressed the urge to kill his last remaining relative, and instead had told the boy to wallow in his hatred. For some odd reason, Naruto found this quite amusing, though he did not expound upon his reaction.

"Now what?" Itachi asked, turning to his master. He didn't seem affected at all by the murder… no… massacre of his kinsmen. Perhaps, he had never even seen them as such. To him, they were simply the cage that kept him from the open world.

"Wait, before we go…" Naruto said as he strolled over to the center of the room, and produced yet another vial, filled with a thick red substance. "Human blood." He explained without waiting for the question to be asked.

Dipping his fingers into the container, Naruto then proceeded to draw a complex diagram on the cold stone floors of the complex. When he had finished, the boy rose again and muttered something under his breath, before holding out one of his fingers, and sliced through the flesh of his other wrist. Allowing several droplet of his own blood to mingle with the drawing, Naruto was pleased to see the entire art work glowing with an unholy light.

"What is this?" Itachi seemed perfectly calm as the light enveloped the entire building. Somehow, Naruto's feats had ceased to amaze him, after spending several days around the vessel. He probably wouldn't even blink an eyelash if the boy had claimed he was in reality a soul from a different dimension. Of course, that was a ridiculous notion at best.

"Alchemy." Uzumaki Naruto answered as he focused his attention upon the rapidly expanding ritual circle. "To be precise, a Philosopher's Stone. (4)"

"A stone that grants immortality to any being?" Itachi raised an eyebrow at this. He had always thought Alchemy was just some hocus pocus craft cooked up by some deluded maniac. But then again, there _are_ nine tailed fox roaming around…

"You wish." Naruto sniggered at the presumption. "It provides an elixir that will heal any wound instantly, deadly useful for what is to come. Of course, given the speed of the production, I highly suggest you avoid injuries as much as possible. The healing nectar should only be reserved for emergencies."

"Understood." Itachi nodded and followed the whiskered child. So, his entire clan had become nothing more than sacrifices to generate this damned stone. How very fitting an end for the pompous fools. Besides, now that the only remaining Uchihas are himself and Sasuke, the secret of the Sharingan would have a much smaller chance of being divulged.

"Come, Itachi, we have much work to do." Naruto called as he stood near the entrance to the complex.

"But what of you, Naruto-sama?" Itachi voiced his concern. "If the Hokage were to discover your absence…"

"Don't worry," Naruto shot him a comforting grin. "I have produced a special clone that is my replica in every way. No one, not even the Hyuugas could possibly tell the difference. Now save your questions, our time grows short."

"But where are we going, if I might be so bold as to ask." Itachi decided to risk one more inquiry. So this was the beginning of his Missing-nin life… Not half bad, if he does say so himself.

"We are going to meet some… friends." Came the bemused reply as the two cloaked figures vanished from Konoha amidst the swirling leaves. A new age has begun, even if no one had realized it yet.

**XXXXXX**

(1) Here, Naruto is literally referring to female dogs. He's a cruel little bastard, as you can tell.

(2) Naruto has performed a Jutsu that blocks out the Hokage's scrying attempts prior to the torture. The Jutsu actually direct the Fire Shadow's attention to a decoy clone.

(3) Because both Naruto and Tobi (Madara) have the Mangekyo.

(4) No, not FMA. Seriously. This has nothing to do with any other Managa what so ever. It's just a name, people.

* * *

_Omakes _

Note: The joke is based off a web comic I read once.

Bombs.

"Sasuke-kun, how are you feeling?" Kabuto asked as he stepped into the hospital room, eyes twinkling all the while.

Sasuke sulked.

"I was punched, stabbed, electrocuted, and Tayuya kicked me in the nuts five -bleeping- times. How the -bleep- do you _think_ I feel?"

Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "Do I look like I care?"

He found a sword raised to his throat.

"Do you think it's a good idea to piss off someone with a sword?" Sasuke asked menacingly.

Kabuto only smiled. "Let's sing a song, Sasuke-kun. _I'm a little bomb, in your kidney, this is my wire and this is my fuse, one wrong move and I'll blow your brains out…_(sang to the tone of 'I'm a little Teapot')."

The medic-nin could sworn he had never seen anyone moving so fast out of a room before.

"Why the hell did you put a bomb in his kidney?" Tayuya demanded as she walked up from behind Kabuto. The healer only shrugged.

"When you mix Sake with surgery, god knows what ends up where."

XX

"Pitiful, dobe." Sasuke gloated as he picked himself up after Naruto had slammed a Rasengan into his stomach. The blonde eyed him warily.

"What is that sound?"

"What sound?" Sasuke rolled his eyes. Stalling for time now, are we? How pathetic.

"That ticking sound."

"That's pretty dumb, even for you. Do you really think I'd fall for it, dead last?"

"No, I'm serious, there is a ticking noise."

"I grow tired of you –" The bomb exploded, showering pieces of Sasuke all over the battle field.

"Hah, told you there was a ticking sound."

"Bite me."

"What are you going to do, Sasuke, bleed on me?"

"…Go to hell."

**XXXXXX**

**Preview:**

"_Itachi… try to stay out of trouble. This town is composed entirely of Missing-Nins, most of them don't take kindly to strangers. Of course, don't take insults lying down either. If any of them so much as look at you the wrong way, feel free to kill them. I certainly will be." – Uzumaki Naruto_

**XXXXXX**

**AN: First, some questions. Harem element will be light. There won't be any fanatical moments. Hell, I doubt there will be any lemons.  
**

**Secondly, yes, this is a Super/Over powered Naruto. But not in the traditional sense. In an average Super Naruto fic, you would find Naruto fighting equally over powered Cannon characters made super. That's boring, and stupid. **

**Here, super power or not is very much the undertone, because this story is not about taking down a supreme evil or fouling a sinister plot. The central theme of the story is a mystery concerning this world itself. It's about how the mystery slowly unravels as Naruto continues his travel, and how everything - the Anti-Matter bomb, the Bijus, the Shinobis, are connected to this mystery. Bad guys are just the side dish.  
**

**Naruto is evil. Yes. I am aware of it. He is cruel, sadistic, and evil. Did I mention he's evil? I don't mean he's an angsty little bitch who whines how unfair the world is and how he's going to get revenge on everyone. I mean he is evil with a capital E.**

**Personally, anti-hero Narutos are a pet peeve for me. It's not that I don't like them, it's just they're far too common. The plot is so clichéd it's painful. How often do you see an abuse/mistreated/hurt Naruto obtain some great power, only to save Konoha because 'he's too noble', 'there is still precious people' or some other overused plot device? Of the few fanfics that have him turn his back on Konoha, it often ends up that he comes back to save the village anyway, because either he forgave the people or they realized their folly or what not. **

**This is my reaction:**

**Me: Cool, Naruto is so evil. Wait… what? Why did he go back? Huh… Oh… so now he's all chummy with Konoha again? Go to hell, Naruto.**

**My Naruto on the other hand is pure evil. Let me put it this way.**

**Situation: **

**The village is attacked. Konoha delegates comes for help. **

**Response:**

**Anti-hero Naruto: Launch into rant/flashback in which the fault lies solely on the village, then agrees to return after several chapters of soul searching.**

**Evil (mine) Naruto: Agrees to help, then, on the agreed date, arrives, brews a cup of coffee, sit back and watch Konoha burn. Then turns to his subordinates and order them to help the invaders.**

**Savvy?**

**The only reason he even thought about changing the destinies of some of the other Genins was because it provided a sufficient challenge. **

**On the subject of evil, Naruto is what you might consider a Lawful-Evil type. That is to say, he still acts within certain moral confines and limitations. Every action he takes serves an ulterior motive, rather than mindless insanity and violence. From the killing of the villager (blood for the ritual) to the Uchiha Massacre (sacrifice) all figures into a grander scheme. So it's unlikely he's going to walk up to a civilian and kill him or her without any reason.**

**Anyway, now that we are clear on this, the later chapters of OUAMM might take a while. Until more information are revealed about Madara, Pein, and unnamed member. **

**Since I was writing the Prologue without prior knowledge of Tobi's identity, I should change the 'three' Mangekyo users to four. **

**Finally, check out my fan art of the Akatsuki Leader Naruto on my profile page. He's not wearing his Akatsuki cloak though.**

**My apologies for the overtly long rant. **

**XXXXXX**

**Read, review and don't flame.**


	3. Ch2: Dancing with Demons

**Once Upon A Midnight Moon – A Naruto Fan Fiction**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all its related materials. I do own this plot and any OC created in the future. I do not generate any revenue from this work of literature, it is written for the sole purpose of entertainment.

Edit: Corrected the Mizukage mistake, and expanded upon the Omake.

_**Chapter 2: Dancing with Demons **_Or _In which New Members appears_

The village loomed over the misty valley, much like an aging eagle, surveying its vast dominion. Although truth is told, it seemed a gross exaggeration to even suggest the humble settlement resembled a village in any shape or form. In reality, it was nothing more than a congregation of hovels, meager buildings of crude workmanship, made from any available stone and wood. And yet, there was something odd about the pseudo town, a flickering distortion just outside its parameters, as though a thin veil of water had shielded the tiny community from outside force.

Naruto smirked as he noticed the frown on his follower's face. He had to admit, whoever ran the place had done a fairly commendable job hiding it from prying eyes, although to a shinobi of Itachi's caliber, the Genjutsu cast over the village was all too detectable. The boy grinned even wider as he tapped Itachi on his arm, signaling the Missing-Nin to stand down.

"Don't worry, this is the place." He assured his first minion. "But we don't want to draw attention to ourselves either. In circumstances such as this, ignorance serves as the best disguise."

"Why are we here?" For the third time, Itachi raised the question. It has been nearly a month since the two left the village hidden in tree leaves, and yet all this time, Naruto did not once bring up his vision of a Missing-nin organization – a goal that he had mentioned to Itachi in passing. At long last, after braving weeks of wilderness and sand, the travelers found themselves within a rather shabby little village situated between Suna and Amegakure. Though the place wasn't much to look at, Itachi could tell it housed a fair number of shinobis.

Of course, Itachi did not think that even with such odds, the two members of the Akatsuki would have had any trouble dealing with the dissenters in their midst.

"We are here for information." Naruto replied as he pulled his cloak over his tiny frame, hiding his face within the shadows of his hat. He eyed the looming settlement with distaste – he had hoped not to involve himself with some mongrels.

"We could have obtained them just as easily in one of the bounty posts…" Itachi began. In order to sustain themselves on necessary vitals, the two fugitives have taken on a number of bounty hunts since their departure. Of course, they weren't particularly difficult, given the strength of the two shinobi, and within a short time, the still incomplete Akatsuki have made a name for itself.

"Bounty offices are rather tight lipped about the kind of information I require, and besides, it wouldn't do to attract too much attention." Explained Naruto patiently, and the older of the two could not help but noticing a thin smile began to creep across the blonde's childish features. It was not the arrogant and knowing smirk the boy so often displayed, but a far more frightening expression of seemingly depthless malice and savagery.

The Uchiha murderer could remember smile all too well – his mentor and master had donned the same bone chilling grin moments before single handedly slaughtering an entire ANBU retrieval team. It was the first time Itachi truly witnessed the full prowess of the child he now followed, and the first time when the prodigy was convinced absolutely of his decision.

The boy moved like shadow, his attacks faster than even Itachi could follow without the use of his bloodline limit. Before the former ANBU captain had realized what had occurred, the battle was done. Uzumaki Naruto, cloaked in the fire cloud lined garbs of the Akatsuki, stood amidst the fallen forms of two dozen Hunter-Nins, his eyes a blazing with still circulating adrenaline.

Yet it was his sheer cruelty that truly stunned Itachi, rather than his movements. In the blink of an eye, the golden haired child had crippled the ANBU squad, severing the tendons of their arms and legs, leaving them completely helpless as they lain on the barren earth, life seeping from the thin wound on their throat.

It was to serve as a warning. The cerulean eyed devil later told his apprentice. While there are fools brave enough to seek to apprehend an S-ranked Missing-Nin, no mortal is foolish enough to challenge a demon – a persona Naruto sought to establish through his inhuman means.

But unbeknownst to even the elder Uchiha, Naruto had another personal agenda in mind. The twenty four Hunter-Nins he had slain had been, whether by coincidence or fate, amongst the Jonin elites who had cast their lot with Danzo and his Root forces. Regardless of the fact this was a different world; the leader of the Akatsuki could not allow even the possibility of such betrayals to occur. Danzo had been a troublesome opponent to deal with, to the point that Naruto had to personally dispose of him. While it was true the vessel of the Kyuubi no Yoko enjoyed a difficult match, it was truer still that his tolerance was infamously short.

Besides, there was a difference between challenging and simply persistent and refuses to die.

"What kind of information do we seek, if I might be so bold to ask?" Itachi frowned as he regarded his traveling companion. Whatever Naruto was planning, it was not in the interest of this tiny parish before them.

"First, we need to find out your current status in Konoha. Even if you are labeled an S-ranked Missing-Nin and all, I would hope my skirmish against their forces would have at least deterred them from deploying more agents." Naruto informed the raven haired genius casually as the two of them approached the village gates. "And secondly, I need to update my knowledge concerning hidden Mist."

"Mist?" Itachi frowned. He had in the past encountered a number of Kiri-Nins, but he did not think they posed too much of a threat. Perhaps one of the Seven Swordsman might spell trouble, but certainly not serious enough to warrant such attention.

"Yes." The flaxen haired six years old chuckled. "Mist has just recently endured a long and tremulous civil war, and if I am not mistaken in my assumptions, genocide of Kekkei Genkai holders is sure to follow. The people of Water have always feared those blessed by power, and this recent conflict would serve as proof of their terror. There are a number of bloodline traits that I am intrigued by; it would be a shame if they were to die out due to the ignorance of the mass."

"The more fool them." Was the grunted reply.

As the two stepped inside the illusion, the decrepit hovels melted away, revealing a rather massive municipality built in the same style as the hidden village of sand.

**XXXXXX**

Two new arrivals passed through the massive wooden gates, and after a brief questioning by the guards stationed there, were admitted inside the Missing village of Illusions. Several pairs of suspicious eyes rested briefly upon the travelers, sizing up the 'fresh meat'. Robbery and murder are commonplace here in this lawless patch of land, where every Missing-Nins thought to make a living in anyway possible. However, the strangers did not seem to be an easy prey.

They were a peculiar pair, dressed in long black cloaks that covered their entire body, with great clouds of flaming scarlet imprinted across the inky texture. Large conical straw hats were pulled down low over their heads, as to conceal their features beneath. Though neither carried any visible weapon, from their confident and assured poses, it was not difficult to discern an air of power radiating from their beings.

And the rogues who had made this village their home knew better than to provoke such ominous individuals. Careless actions like that could get one killed, or worse.

The pair stopped at the local tavern, where the sign of a half gutted pig hung precariously overhead, secured in place by several rusted wires. Of course, both shinobis knew better than to take the place at face value. It was not difficult to discern the various Chakra signatures within the pub. This was a gathering place for shady characters from all over the Elemental countries, a place where secrets are exchanged, and information is bought and sold.

The din within the dimly lit room died down as the door swung open to admit the two, as all eyes turned upon the unwelcome visitors. There was a clear air of distrust emanating from the patrons of the dingy bar and several hands reached discreetly for hidden Kunais. Strangers' presences were not tolerated in these parts.

"Itachi… try to stay out of trouble. This town is composed entirely of Missing-Nins, most of them don't take kindly to strangers. Of course, don't take insults lying down either. If any of them so much as look at you the wrong way, feel free to kill them." Naruto spoke up, his voice filling the silent atmosphere, cold and merciless. Just as the occupants did not take to his presence, nor did he wish to mingle with such crass individuals.

"Tch. You must have a death wish, sprouting words like that." One of the larger men grinned as he rose to his feet, his left hand clutching the handle of a massive flail. He was a rather ugly looking cretin, his face marred by scars running every which way. When he smiled, he revealed a wide gaping maw that seemed to be lacking several teeth. Naruto was not impressed.

Before the drunken Ninja could do more than move a single step, Naruto vanished from his spot and reappeared behind the giant, and planted his foot into the man's back with a resounding crack, shattering his spinal cord and sending him flying out of the tavern and through several more buildings before the unfortunate bastard came to a stop in the town square, a bloody and possibly alive mess of flesh and bones.

"Now." Naruto whispered, his words exponentially more dangerous. "Perhaps one of you could give me what I want."

**XXXXXX**

"That was… easy." Itachi observed as the two left the rest of the patrons in a state of shock and fear. Well, judging by the wet spots between their legs, mostly fear. However, they've gotten what they came for, and that was really all that matters. It would seem the village of Konoha has abandoned their retrieval attempts – understandable given the casualty. Naruto had also inquired about a person named Kisame, as well as some Ice user or whatnot. Itachi wasn't quite sure what to make of that.

Then again, as he was Itachi, he didn't really care.

"Oi, you there, just who the bloody hell do you think you're doing, wandering around my parts of town, eh?" Even as the assassins made their way towards the exit, a voice – high pitched and adolescent – demanded from behind them. There was arrogance to the voice, one that particularly ticked off the younger Akatsuki. It was the conceit of one living on borrowed time. Naruto did not tolerate such haughtiness in his presence. He had, in his past life, obliterated armies and villages and never allowed himself to displayed the same level of pompousness that this young man so careless flaunted.

He had never seen anyone so desperately wishing for a painful and drawn out death.

"I could ask you the same question." He replied, his face still hidden by the hat and his voice coarse and mirthless.

"The name's Khazu," the boy sneered as several of what Naruto assumed to be his lackey surrounded the two visitors. They were, as saddened as Naruto was to admit it, all very much built in the image of a stereotypical thug, with rippling muscles, seemingly lower than average IQ, and too ugly for words smile imprinted across their stump like faces. The blonde could swear he had even seen one of them cracking his knuckle in a decidedly threatening manner. The child cringed in embarrassment. The criminal elements in this place have really gone down the drain. "And this here is my…"

He scarcely managed to finish his sentence before he found a dagger held under his throat. Itachi Uchiha glared at the boy with something akin to contempt, the small knife cackling with electricity. The weapon had been a gift from Naruto, another by product of his Alchemy, no doubt. It was used in the same way as a Kunai, with a single key difference. The blade – 'Talon' – was able to conduct almost any element, making it an exceedingly dangerous weapon in the right hands.

Baring down upon the quivering youth, Itachi allowed his Sharingan eyes to shift to their Mangekyo form. Much like his master, the prodigal son of the Uchiha clan did not take well to pests such as this.

"Tsukuyomi."

The resulting scream reminded the Sharingan user of a butchered pig.

**XXXXXX**

"Man, I don't know what you did with that kid, but you are in deep shit now." A passing Missing-Nin who had witnessed the encounter gloated gleefully as he watched the goons carrying off the unconscious form of Khazu. "Don't you know who his father is? The guy practically owns this part of town. If I were you, I'd hull my ass…"

His life was terminated by a particularly nasty Raikari when Naruto had grown weary of the man's presence and had summoned another Shadow Clone to retrieve the brief moment of peace and quiet he had so enjoyed. He watched impassively as his Kage Bunshin slammed the blade of lightning into the man's chest, dragging his fried corpse nearly a hundred yards before stopping. (1)

Pity. He had hoped he wouldn't have to resort to physical violence.

"Well, now that we know we have caused a stir within this god forsaken place, why don't we make ourselves comfortable and say have a sip of tea in that parlor over there?" Naruto suggested cheerfully as he lead the way. "While it is a most fortuitous moment to be sure, I dare say this could prove to be to our advantage."

"You are not worried then, Naruto-sama." Itachi raised an eyebrow. It was not a question, but a statement.

Naruto simply laughed.

"Honestly, Itachi, I thought you would have more sense than that. You are measuring the world to you standard, and I'm afraid that have warped you perception somewhat. Very few S ranked Missing-Nins exists in this world, as you know, and without good reason, they won't even step into this disgraceful place if you paid them."

"True." And the raven haired killer would say no more on the subject, but contented himself to sipping the cooling herbal tea.

Good stuff that.

**XXXXXX**

"Well that was… entertaining… I think." Naruto glanced at the barely recognizable body of the A ranked Missing-Nin and the father of Khazu. He hadn't intended to cause such causality, really. He had simply wanted to frighten the man just enough to elicit obedience – a properly set up marionette would prove very useful in the near future. Unfortunately, it seems he had underestimated his own capacity, or overestimated his opponent's. It didn't matter.

"I am rather disappointed at the confrontation." Itachi admitted with a frown as he wiped his dagger on the tunic of one of the henchmen. While he had not yet embodied his true potential, the child was still an ANBU captain of Konohagakure, a Shinobi far superior to the forces sent against him. It wasn't a battle he had been engaged in, it was a one sided massacre.

"Don't worry." Naruto grinned as he took out the small stone he had always carried. Slowly, carefully, the boy unwrapped a portion of the ritual cloth that imprisoned the object, exposing a small corner of the scarlet stone. The Philospher's stone glowed an unholy light as it neared the still body. Even Itachi shifted a little uneasily as he watched tendrils of blood red mist seeped from the foul object and reached into the man's chest, pulsing as the haze grew steadily darker in color. There was something unimaginably evil about that stone – and considering the extent of Itachi's actions, that was saying quite a lot. Somehow, Naruto seemed to have a far more nefarious agenda for his sacrilegious creation.

The Stone fed off life force of others, growing in power through death. For every bounty they have hunted, Naruto had employed the object, and with every feed, the stone grew stronger, more powerful, and more sinister. But for what purpose, Itachi could not guess.

Meanwhile, a pair of icy blue eyes fixed their gaze upon the scarlet surface of the polished rock, his face the perfect fixture of non-concern. Inside, however, his heart was racing. There were still not enough sacrifices, at least, not enough to sate the thirst of his item. The stone isn't vital to his plan, but it was a necessarily he could not overlook. After all, unexpected situations have the most annoying tendency to rise when they are not wanted, and those who are wise would do well to prepare for such an occasion.

The stone would remain the ace up his sleeve for now.

As their victims became nothing more than emaciated skeletons, the two assassins rose as one, and set out once more towards their intended destination.

Two shadows against the burning sun.

**XXXXXX**

The village snowed constantly. And for the two arrivals that are so used to the clement climate of the village of Hidden Leaf, the cold was vaguely irritating. The freezing element was particularly bothersome to Itachi, being as it was the antithesis of his fire based Jutsus. Their presence in the village was greeted with much suspicion, but then again, the people of Water have always had a hostile diplomacy against outsiders. While the Country itself had not suffered the worst in the Third Secret Ninja War, the conflict then had caused a massive civil war to form, centered around Kirigakure.

Many interlopers saw their chance at profit.

Even decades later, the clear mistrust of aliens remained strong.

Naruto sighed into his cup of tea, exhaling a small cloud of vapor. Three days. The search had taken three fruitless days. The wielder of the Mangekyo Sharingan was growing restless and impatient. This was a serious setback to his plan. He had to find that blasted child. But if these denizens still intend to remain stubbornly close mouthed, then he would have no choice but to resort to _unpleasantness_.

Haku…

His eyes narrowed as he recalled the boy who had affected his life so. Boy? No… At the memory of their confrontation – something not even Kakashi had been privy to – Naruto stifled a bitter laughter. He remembered the words _she_ had whispered moments before she intercepted Kakashi's attack.

"_I lied to you, Naruto-kun." The girl had murmured in his ears, catching him in a tight embrace. "I am a girl."_

_The blonde demon vessel's eyes had widened comically, struck hard by the sudden revelation. Tears were pouring down the maiden's cheek as she held on even tighter, almost as if afraid to let go. _

"_Oh… there had been such potential between us…" She sobbed brokenly on his shoulders, her gripping loosening. "We could have been so much more… if circumstances had been different… I could… I could even have loved you…"_

_Then, grabbing his face, she kissed him fiercely on the lips. She pulled back, moments later, and, wiping her tears, rushed towards Kakashi._

Naruto's smile grew grim. Haku had been so naïve, so innocent, that she would believe such absurd notion as the strength of one's precious person. But as idiotic and foolish as the ideal was, Naruto had to admit it was cute. Purity like hers had been all but extinct in this grim and realistic world; it would be such a shame if that light were to be purged all together.

Besides, if he were to change the fate of those around him, why not start with Haku?

After all, was this not a _different_ circumstance?

"Itachi." It was a command, cold and callous. "Play time is over."

When Itachi opened his blood red eyes at last, he could see with perfect clarity the slaughter and conflagration yet to come, reflected in the other's Mangekyo Sharingan.

**XXXXXX**

Haku shivered in the cold icy weather, pulling her rag close to her body. How many days has it been since she deserted that nightmarish place and fled northward, towards the village hidden in Water? Hours, days, weeks had all but congealed together into one confusing and chaotic memory. She couldn't even tell where one event ended and another began. It felt as though she had been on the run since forever.

At least at the age of eight, she could pass of as an orphaned boy. With the Water nation being homophobic in general, no one spared a second glance at the feminine child squeezing 'his' way pass a wary crowd. If they had discovered otherwise, god only knows what would have happened to her.

Mercy is a precious commodity in this barbaric place.

She was so lost in her thought that she didn't even see the person blocking her path until she had walked headlong into the man. Muttering a half hearted apology, the Ice user attempted to turn, only to find a wizened hand clasping onto her dirt covered wrist.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The voice caused the hair on the nape of her neck to stand on end, perverse and sickly. She tried to shake the man off, tried to run, but her captor held on fast. "Such a pretty little thing all alone…"

"I..I'm sorry sir," Haku tried her best to sound masculine. "I'm a boy…"

She was cut short by a harsh and excited bark of laughter. "Stop trying to act… little girl. Who do you think you are fooling? He he he… and a virgin as well? My, my, the gods must be smiling upon me."

A gnarled hand reached towards her, thin, root like fingers attempting to brush against her half concealed face. Without realizing what she was doing, Haku let loose an animalistic snarl and sank her teeth down hard on the offered palm, drawing blood. The would-be rapist swore and tried to draw back her appendage, but the apprehended child held on steadfast.

"Little bitch!" The man screamed in fury as he struck Haku with his free hand, putting all his strength into the single blow.

Haku's head jerked backward from the attack, and though she desperately clung to the realm of consciousness, she could feel her self slipping away into the inexorable abyss, and the sound of someone undoing a belt.

Then, just as she gave away to oblivion all together, a new voice, colder than even this icy world, sounded from behind her.

"Well now… Congratulations, old man, for becoming the first person in this world to truly piss me off."

Screams followed, then, darkness.

**XXXXXX**

She awoke to a stream of sunlight sifting through the thin opening of the curtains, her petite body shifting comfortably above the silk sheets. It had been the best sleep she has had for days… or maybe her entire life. The realization made her freeze. _Silk?_ She had not even slept on straws since she had become a fugitive, let alone enjoy such expensive luxury. What had happened last night?

_Oh god… no!_ Haku stifled a sob as she recalled that horrible evening – a nightmare within her nightmarish life. Had… had that _monster_ robbed her of her innocence? Her only innocence in this life?

"So, you are awake." A voice interrupted her tears, causing the girl to look up in surprise. It sounded so young, at most her age, and though it seemed uncaring and aloft, she could detect the barest trace of concern. It was not the voice of the predator. "Good, you've been sleeping like a log for three days."

"I…" Haku tried to speak, but no words would come. She had so many questions to ask, and yet she dared not voice a single one of them.

"Hush now. Save your strength for now. You can talk all you want when you've fully recovered. And no, I didn't let _him_ do anything to you." A finger pressed against her lips, and forced her back to bed. Then, the finger drew away, and something metallic replaced it. A spoon.

"Eat." Came the simple command, and Haku followed it eagerly.

Naruto watched as the girl consumed the liquid substance, a rare genuine smile on his face. If only them could see it now – he, the great Uzumaki Naruto, hand feeding a _child_ with such inconceivable gentleness. But deny as he might, Naruto had always held a soft spot for Haku. Besides, being full time evil was a demanding job, it was only natural if he takes a vacation for a while.

As for the old man – the Akatsuki leader's eyes narrowed at the thought – Naruto had fed him to the stone. Alive. Ever since he had uncovered the Alchemy behind the rock in his first life, Naruto was fascinated by the mystical item, and the race that could have embodied such brilliance and evil as to imagine its creation. If he had not known better, he would have thought the relic to be alive, some sort of parasitic form that fed on the life force of others for nourishment. It drained its victims of flesh and blood, leaving behind only skin and bones.

But unbeknownst even to Itachi, the stone also absorbed a person's immortal soul. That was the reason Naruto had always used the item after a kill, when the soul has departed from the body. No one deserved an eternity of torment within the hell that was the Philosopher's stone, not Missing-Nins, not bounty hunters, no one. Until now, that is.

An eternity was far too good for that lecherous fiend.

**XXXXXX**

Haku frowned as she fitted the uniform over her slender frame, looking at her pouting reflection in the mirror. Though still a little mal nourished, she was as different from her former self as the pearl was to a common stone. Her skin had returned to the same creamy complexion her mother was so famous her, and her hair once more shone with a healthy sheen.

"Naruto-sama." The girl complained, adjusting uncomfortably to the somewhat heavy and coarse Akatsuki cloak. "Do I have to wear this?"

Naruto chuckled and pulled the fragile girl into his arms, where she curled up against him like a kitten. Stroking her hair absentmindedly, he looked out through the half opened window. "Of course not, Haku-chan. You can wear whatever you like."

Naruto had never intended to make Haku into a member of the Akatsuki. She was certainly gifted enough to be considered such, given time, but the blonde was reluctant. He couldn't quite explain it, but Haku was different from the others. She was _special_. And most importantly of all, she was _his_.

His what? The flaxen haired child couldn't tell you. But he remained nonetheless jealously possessive of the chocolate eyed girl.

"You are mine." He hadn't even realized he had murmured his thoughts aloud. But Haku did, and snuggled all the tighter against her master, protector, and friend.

"I am yours, Naruto-sama. Now and forever." She whispered in a voice only she could hear as she felt the waves of sleepiness claim her.

**XXXXXX**

Kisame was not having a good day, or week, or month, or year. First, the so called 'Demon' of the Mist abandons his post and launches a revolt against the still ruling Mizukage. No body blamed him for that. Hell, Kisame had wanted to do the old codger in for some time now, never finding the perfect opportunity. But the problem was, Zabuza – the eyebrow less freak – had failed and fled the country, effectively ending the legend of the Seven Swordsmen of Mist.

Granted, the Seven was already falling apart at the seam even before Zabuza's betrayal, but it was at that moment the members comprehended just how screwed up their ranks had become. Raiga left weeks after Zabuza's desertion, but as he and the other swordsmen never had what one could call an amicable relationship, nobody was sorry to see him leave.

Except for the Mizukage, but his opinion doesn't really matter too much.

However, quite unfortunately, this series of unfortunate events also created much suspicion around the remaining five, so much so that nowadays, the shark man spent half of the year patrolling some nameless and unimportant village to the south of the village. As far away from Kirigakure as physically possible.

Needless to say, Kisame Hoshigaki was pissed off at the ignominy of his situation. Hell, if something doesn't happen soon, the Mizukage was about to have a third revolution on his hands.

At least, that had been his thoughts until a certain Itachi Uchiha came unto the scene.

Kisame had heard of Itachi. _Everyone_ has heard of Itachi. Who the hell doesn't know the man – er – boy that single handedly slaughtered his entire clan, and the score of ANBU who followed him thereafter? The traitor of Konohagakure has garnered a near legendary reputation in the elemental countries.

So when Itachi showed up in front of his house, Kisame did the only thing he could think of.

He attacked.

In retrospect, that probably wasn't the brightest idea in the world.

**XXXXXX**

The half breed ninja swore loudly as he felt the dagger grazing his left arm, its metallic blade sheathed within a veil of thunder. Ignoring the searing pain of the attack, Kisame batted away the younger Shinobi with his injured arm, while the other reached for the massive broad sword strapped to his back. Before he could draw his weapon, several shadows darted out from Itachi and charged, each with a different elemental imbued dagger.

However, Kisame's fame as one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist was soon substantiated as he moved his entire right side with a blur almost too fast for Itachi to follow. The clones vanished from existence as the enormous cleaver shredded into them, absorbing the Chakras from which they were formed. The ANBU captain narrowed his eyes as he stood again, facing the ever stoic Itachi Uchiha. Slowly, a smile formed upon his shark like face, revealing two rows of sharp and glittering fangs.

"Your reputation precedes you, Itachi Uchiha." He informed his opponent as he shifted into another stance, bringing Samehada behind him so the cool broad side of the great sword rested against his back. "I'll enjoy tearing you limb from limb."

Itachi said nothing but eyed his foe with a weary glance. It would have been so much less troublesome if Naruto-sama had not requested Hoshigaki alive and preferably unharmed. True, the sword master was talented enough to give even Itachi a run for his money – a rare declaration from anyone, but still, he would be hard pressed against the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan.

While, according to his leader, there are methods to counter this form of the Sharingan, most of them are exceedingly obscure and germane to only very small groups, the majority of who have long been extinct. What technique that remained might prevail, but not without handicapping the user.

Somehow, Itachi doubted Kisame would even be able to produce a counter.

Still, he should not become overconfident. If this member of the Seven had warranted the interest of even Uzumaki Naruto, then chances are, this battle may prove more difficult than he first surmised. Besides, the raven haired deserter did recall a rare talent his enemy possessed, one seen only in Nidaime himself.

With that thought, Itachi once more allowed his Mangekyo to surface.

The battle has yet to begun.

**XXXXXX**

_Crack_

Itachi grimaced as he caught Kisame's fist. The blow had hurt, even after his preparation. But he should have expected as much from a man who were able to wield such immense weapon with ease. An unpleasant groining sound was heard as the cloak wearing Missing-Nin was sent hurling back.

A loud explosion of smoke erupted from Itachi as he summoned several Kage Bunshin around himself. One of them reached out and grasped the original and with a mighty effort, threw him towards the waiting Kisame again.

Below, the swordsman grinned in anticipation. Such a pitiful tactic the so called prodigy displays. How very disappointing. Tightening his grip upon the hilt of his sword, Kisame readied himself for a blood bath. It never occurred. Even as his weapon came screeching up, the experienced Mist-Nin could tell something was a miss. Several seconds later, the 'original' Itachi vanished in a small burst of dust.

_Damn_! Kisame swore mentally. How could he have fallen for such an elementary technique? It was obvious Itachi had employed a Kawarimi no Jutsu even as he created the shadow clones. The man was good, no doubting that.

Of course, if Itachi had switched his body was a clone, then the real Leaf Missing-Nin would be…

"Right behind me." The blue skinned warrior growled in annoyance as he felt the tip of the dagger digging into his back side. The growled turned to a chuckle, however, as Kisame Hoshigaki imagined the look of satisfaction on his foe's face turning into surprise when the swordsman's body melted into water.

A duel between Shinobis was nothing more than a battle of deception.

Without warning, Itachi spun around and launched several fireballs wordlessly behind him. A series of explosions scattered rocks and trees, revealing the undamaged form of the Water-Nin. The Suiton user smirked as he pressed his palms together in the form of the last seal of his Jutsu. Before he could utter its name however, a shadow barreled into the cross-breed, sending him flying towards Itachi.

As Kisame struggled to right himself from the flight, he felt a claw like hand digging into the joint between his left shoulder and arm. Foreign fingers tightened, and then pulled down harshly, producing a series of cracking noises as it dislocated his appendage.

The pain was blinding.

Dazed by agony, Kisame made the foolish mistake of looking up at his assailant, right at a pair of spinning pinwheels.

After that, the world went to the dogs.

**XXXXXX**

"Shit." Kisame muttered as he tried massaged his injured arm, which, even after he had popped it back to its correct position, still stung like a bitch. Beside him, Uchiha

Itachi sat silently, contemplating the turn of events. The man had already raised a camp fire, and was feeding bits of dried leaves and twigs to the roaring flames. It was difficult to imagine such a youth to possess so great a power.

"So," When his companion/enemy did not speak, Kisame made an effort to carry on the conversation. "You want me to join this little tea party you've set up?"

Itachi scoffed and turned his eyes – now normal obsidian – towards the potential recruit. "The Akatsuki is hardly a power to be underestimated."

"Well, I guess if they've managed to convince you to off Uchiha, then they've got be something." Kisame shrugged carelessly. "Anyway, why me?"

Itachi returned the shrug and answered truthfully. He was not one to mince words. "I have no idea. Naruto-sama decided that you would prove a valuable addition, and he have yet to make a mistake."

"Naruto-sama?" Kisame would have raised an eyebrow, if he had any. "So, what's he like?"

Hopefully, whoever this Naruto-sama is, the man enjoyed bloodshed as much as Kisame.

"You'll see." Came the cryptic reply.

**XXXXXX**

_Six weeks later_

The boy stirred uneasily in his feverous slumber, curled up against the cold stone walls of his cell. He waited patiently for the familiar footsteps of his captors to bring him what little nourishment they could spare. Day after day, month after month, year after year the same routine continued without deviation, without change.

This time, the steps were slow, measured, and dignified. _Must be someone of importance_, the young child thought bitterly as he opened his bleary eyes and stared at narrow, sinuous tunnel that lead to the outside, separated from him by a row of cold steel bars.

Suddenly, the routine changed without warning, as shouts began to sound all across the tunnel. Shouts that conveyed an emotion alien to the boy's ears – fear and terror. Someone… something… was coming, something wholly unexpected, and unprepared for. His clansmen are panicking now, loud explosions and obscenities filling the air. Yet judging by the screams of the dying, it would appear as though the guards of his prison could do little to hold back this nameless menace.

Then, all at once, the noises ceased.

Silence followed, before it was shattered as a metallic door swung open on its hinges, eliciting a pained screech as metal grinded against rusted metal.

A shadow stood over the boy, watching him with cold red eyes in an almost contemplating manner. Slowly, the shadow shifted and a small hand – porcelain white and unblemished – reached out towards the chained youth.

"Hello, Kimimaro-kun." Naruto grinned from within the darkness.

**XXXXXX**

(1) Think of Kakashi's Raikari from _Naruto Shippūden: Narutimate Accel_ for PS2, only with less flare and much less powerful. The reason Naruto could form one instantly has to do with certain trainings he forced himself to undergo, that would allow him to channel a large amount of Chakra through his body in a short time, without causing permanent damage.

* * *

_Omake_

Note: Making fun of illogical situations that seemed to be favored by so many authors.

Christmas

"Greetings, everyone!" Deidara, the self proclaimed artist of destruction, waltzed into the meeting chamber of the Akatsuki. His presence was, of course, greeted with several nonchalant grunts of acknowledgement. "Do you know what day it's today?"

"December 25th?" Kisame, being the ever so polite one, ventured a guess. It was a good guess, but wrong.

"It's Christmas!"

Several members blinked, and scowled.

"Chris—what?" Sasori looked as though he had swallowed something unpleasant. He had known his partner to be a little… out there… but still.

"It's a day of festivity where we spread joy and holiday cheer to all corners of the globe!"

It was official, Deidara was mad.

"Wait." Itachi, the reasonable one, spoke up. "What is this… Christmas you speak of?"

"You have _never_ heard of Christmas?!" Deidara looked scandalized. "Never heard of Santa Claus?"

"No, is he some sort of master ninja?" Itachi asked with interest. This Santa Claus person sounded… formidable, if Deidara made such commotion about his name. Yes… Santa Claus would be a worthy challenge…

"You are joking!" Deidara hissed in anger. "How do you not know what Christmas is? Everyone knows it's the holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ! Even if we are living in Japan…"

"Where?" It was Zetsu's turn to look confused. "I have never heard of this… Jawpan."

" _Japan_" Deidara corrected. "How the hell do you not know where Japan is? I mean, we are freakin' ninjas! We have ramens! Obviously we are in a part of Japan hidden from the rest of the world! God forbid we reside in a parallel dimension or something."

With this, he produced a map of Japan.

The eight members positioned themselves around the parchment.

"Well." Pein muttered as he straightened up. "I have no idea where you even procured this map, but it looks nothing like the map of the elemental countries that we live in. We are not in this _Japan_ place. I have not the slightest clue how you could have come up with something so… absurd."

"Yes…" Kisame nodded. "Anyway, who is this Christ person you've spoken of?"

Deidara shot him a murderous glare.

"He is the son of God!"

"Jashin?" Hidan supplied hopefully.

"No, the Christian God!"

"The who?" Hidan tilted his head in question.

"Come on, have you never read the Bible?"

"Well… er… There were the ten rules of slaughter by Jashin, does that count?"

"Oh come on! Jerusalem, Babylon, ring any names?"

"Eh… nope. Not at all. Never even heard of those places. Do they even exist?"

"Screw you, Hidan. Any earthling worth his salt knows who Jesus is." Deidara glared.

"Yeah… so… what's this earth you speak of?"

"He's right, you know." Kisame decided to throw his two cents in. "Why are you convinced that we must know what… er… what was it again? … Ah… Christmas is?"

"Duh!" Deidara rolled his eyes. "It's obvious since the creator of this Manga was Japanese and because this Manga contain some Japanese customs, we must be in Japan, and thereby Earth. Ergo, we must have comprehension of what Christmas is."

Itachi, having retained his silence, spoke up again.

"So if I may surmise your argument – you want us to celebrate a holiday no one on our _planet _has ever heard of, with traditions no body ever practiced before, in the honor of a being of possible divine origin that never existed on the surface of this world, all based on a logical fallacy that make no sense what so ever?"

"Well, if you put it that way…"

Itachi raised an eyebrow.

"Glad you could see things my way. Now, I have just one more question."

"Whatever." Deidara sighed. Why did he even bring up this subject in the first place?

"What is this Santa Claus person, and how do I find him?"

Somewhere on earth, Saint Nicolas shivered from sudden Approaching-Doom Syndrome.

AN: Seriously, it makes no sense why the Naruto cast would celebrate ANY form of Earth Holiday.

**XXXXXX**

**Sorry for the slowness, I was rather caught up in some personal business. Anyway, bet you never saw Kimimaro coming, hah!**

**The Philosopher's stone, of course, is much more sinister than you think, and Naruto knows this. It's going to play a fairly large part later on. **

**As some of you might have noticed, Naruto and Haku's relationship isn't exactly what you'd call… well…healthy. Naruto is quite the possessive S.O.B, so to speak. **

**Deidara, Sasori will make an appearance in the next chapter, and possibly Hidan and Kakuzu. **

**Oh, and the comic I used last time was called Ansem's Retort, funny as hell but quite offensive.**

**So… yeah.**

**XXXXXX**

**Read, review, and don't flame.**


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